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As the surge of coronavirus infections in the United States becomes undeniable, many leaders throughout the country are reacting by calling for closures. Bizarrely, they almost always seem to focus on schools first. That’s exactly the opposite of what they should be doing. (Aaron E. Carroll, 11/17)

Tomorrow, if you were so inclined, you could take your family and walk into the Glendale Galleria without so much as a temperature check, and then spend hours browsing alongside hundreds of shoppers from all parts of Los Angeles. What you cannot do is drop your children off at their neighborhood schools for a day of instruction in classrooms where access would be carefully controlled, students and desks carefully spaced apart, all rooms deep-cleaned daily and every student, teacher and staff member tested regularly for coronavirus. Eight months into a pandemic that’s likely to stretch well into next year, the level of COVID-19 is rising, and our priorities are misplaced. (Justin Beutner, 11/17)

Massachusetts finds itself in a second COVID-19 spike. New daily case numbers have ticked above 2,000 for the first time in six months. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations have risen 46 percent since Sept. 23. The mask mandate and limitations on gathering sizes ordered by Governor Baker could soon be followed by rolling back the state’s reopening phases. We are in the early days of what we have been warned will be a long winter of trying to keep this virus in check, plunging us into a renewed and painful discussion about which businesses and job activities are truly essential and how we keep workers and patrons safe. Notably, the list of essential activities identified in the spring neglected to include one critical area that should be added to the list: schools. (Joseph Curtatone, 11/17)

Last Monday night we got the call we've been dreading. The assistant principal told me over the phone that our son, a 13-year-old autistic boy with Down syndrome, had been exposed to Covid-19 the previous week by "someone who works closely with him" in his special education classroom. My wife soon developed symptoms and tested positive, my son's been running a low fever all week and I've had a weird dry cough. Covid has come to our home. (David M. Perry, 11/16)

Covid-19 cases are up around the country, even in places that had low rates over the summer. In response, many states have increased restrictions and emphasized the need to prevent transmission. People are not listening. Families continue to make Thanksgiving plans. Large gatherings are continuing despite the warnings. This is happening outside of the United States, as well. There’s a phrase for this: “pandemic fatigue.” People are tired of changing their behavior because of the coronavirus. None of this should be surprising. People are often reluctant to do things they might find unpleasant to improve their health. (Emily Oster, 11/17)

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study in Toronto reported what happened when one person attended a gathering of 12 relatives despite being symptomatic. Ten family members — including three infants — subsequently tested positive. This led to people from other households getting infected, and the number of people facing quarantine or isolation continues to grow as the cluster expands. In Ontario, record-high daily numbers of cases have led to new restrictions, like bans on indoor dining. Canada has prioritized keeping schools open as part of its response, but a growing number of students have been shifted into distance learning strategies. Hospitals are filling up, with patients being seen in outdoor tents in many locations. (Sarabeth Harlage, 11/17)